There are also signs of discontent in Anwar’s PH party as he tries to woo the Malay community – Najib’s allies – that mostly had gone for the opposition.

The high court’s move to drop Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s embezzlement charges has put the credibility of PM Anwar Ibrahim’s reform agenda in doubt.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim faces a delicate task of seeking the support of the Malay majority while easing the concerns of non-Muslims amid fears of a tilt to the right.

But the amount is a blip compared to the US$260 billion that PM Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia needs to invest by 2050 for its energy transition master plan.

Muda lost all 19 seats it contested and also fell behind Malaysia’s ageing stalwarts in the battle for influence on TikTok.

Opposition Perikatan Nasional made significant gains, especially in Selangor and Penang, as Anwar’s bloc lost large tracts of Malay support.

Early unofficial counts indicated voting trends going along initial forecasts, with the incumbent governments expected to retain power.

PM Anwar Ibrahim is hoping the Malay-Muslim majority has not deserted his unity government, even as the opposition Perikatan Nasional gains ground in voter outreach.

The charge is the first test of the much-touted new anti-stalking law that was established in May after years of advocacy by women’s protection groups.

TikTok, used by an estimated half of Malaysians, is a connection point in the Malay heartlands to culture wars and criticism of Anwar’s government.

Attorney general removes Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran from the case based on her April application for early retirement.

Results of the Selangor contest could carry weighty consequences for Anwar’s unity government, with Malays making up 60 per cent of voters.

Umno has been tasked with challenging the near-ironclad grip of the Islamist PAS in the key states of Kelantan and Terengganu in next month’s state polls.

Some critics called out the authorities’ heavy handed move of calling off the festival, even as the Malaysian government doubled down on its ‘unwavering’ stance.

Thuzar Maung, who runs a Muslim refugee support group and is an outspoken supporter of Myanmar’s pro-democracy movement, fled Myanmar for Malaysia in 2015 to escape growing violence against Muslims.

Perikatan Nasional’s Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor stands accused of bringing the Selangor monarchy into disrepute with his ‘lousy’ swipe at a fellow chief minister.

Threats by conservatives towards a newly engaged lesbian ex-lawmaker highlights how a resurgent religious lobby is shifting Malaysia away from personal freedoms.

Jasmine Loo, formerly a legal counsel to the 1MDB fund, was said to have fled Malaysia before the 2018 general election.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party is aiming to increase its popularity in August’s state elections by using TikTok to pummel PM Anwar Ibrahim and his multi-ethnic coalition.

The incident saw Malaysia’s tourism minister intervening to “rescue” a Chinese woman who was purportedly being extorted by immigration officials.

The social media giant, which also owns WhatsApp, has agreed to work with Malaysian police on combating online crime and controversial posts touching on subjects relating to race, religion and royalty.

An outage that hit an opposition-linked news portal has sparked warnings by advocates of creeping ‘censorship’ by the government.

Across Asia’s Muslim nations, Pride Month has remained muted, with LGBTQ events an easy target for religious hardliners and opportunistic politicians.

Anwar says he consulted multiple government experts about the deal, calls on the opposition to spell out their allegations and defer from making sweeping statements.

The city state’s high commissioner in Kuala Lumpur apologised to Malaysians for Chia’s ‘hurtful remarks’ made at a New York comedy club in a bid to put an end to the simmering controversy.

Malaysian social media erupted in fury at Jocelyn Chia’s skit, performed at a New York comedy club and uploaded to TikTok and Instagram, in which she joked about the missing plane and said ‘f*** you Malaysia’.

A Chinese vessel’s illegal harvest of scrap metal in waters close to the Malaysian coast sparked concerns over the potential creep of Chinese boats – and aspirations – into fiercely contested seas.

Kee Kok Thiam’s family said he suffered a ‘sudden massive stroke’, weeks after he was reportedly questioned by Malaysia’s corruption authorities.

Singaporeans are taking advantage of the weak ringgit for more trips across the border, triggering a shortage of the currency.

Homosexuality remains an incendiary topic in Malaysia, where Muslims account for over 60 per cent of the population.